1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to weather shelters and more particularly to a weather shelter adapted for association with a reference structure in any one of a plurality of relative orientations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are currently a variety of weather shelters available which exist for the express purpose of insulating an individual from specific weather conditions. Such shelters are commonly designed for fixed attachment to a particular reference structure, generally being securable to such structure in only one relative orientation. While such an arrangement may provide shelter under certain limited circumstances, it does not provide complete protection from the elements which are dynamic by nature. Weather conditions, for example, deviate significantly in approach, character and intensity. Known shelters have failed to address the need for shelters which compensate for these deviations. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved weather shelter adapted to provide shelter under varied weather conditions.
The above-described shortcoming of known weather shelters is particularly apparent where shelters are used to protect an occupant from sunlight over a period of time. During the course of the day, for example, the sun passes across the sky, beating down from an ever-changing perspective. In order to provide continuous shade to an occupant, the shelter must thus be adaptable to maintain a position between the shelter occupant and the sun. A stationary shelter of the type now known would therefore. require a screen which spans an area matching the 180 degree relative path of the sun if it were desired to provide protection throughout the day. Such a shelter would unnecessarily restrict the occupant's freedom and would consequently be undesirable.
Wind, like sunlight, may change its direction of approach during the course of the day. Consequently, where it is desired to protect an occupant from the wind throughout the day, it is desirable to use a weather shelter adapted to obstruct the path of the wind irrespective of its direction of approach. Prior art weather shelters have failed to provide adequate wind protection, such shelters generally being fixed in one relative orientation to a reference structure with which they are associated.
It is also important to note that although the sun generally beats down on an individual, the wind sweeps past. Protection from these elements may consequently require placement of a shelter in vastly varying relative orientations with respect to the reference structure. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a weather shelter which may selectively be positioned in one of a plurality of orientations relative to the reference structure.